Indian off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin has become of the leading bowlers in world cricket. He is developing every day with his shrewd variations. The Chennai-born cricketer has weapons to make batsman confuse. It is no surprise that the 29-year-old made a big fan base, including a few stalkers.
During a live chat on Indian Cricket Team’s Facebook page recently, Ashwin revealed many personal things about him. His childhood, approach to batsmen. But, he might have never expected a question from Smriti Sinha, who the former Chennai Super Kings tweaker claims are the woman who keeps stalking him on twitter.
Ashwin was answering questions of his fans chronologically. But, to a question from a girl he said that she stalks him on twitter.
“The next question is from Smriti Sinha, am not too sure if this is the girl who really stalks me on Twitter,” he said.
He had asked Ashwin if he has any recent upgrades to his bowling armoury.
“I can only spin the ball in and out finding the batsman’s inside edge or outside edge. I think I have the potential to do both. Upgradation need not necessarily depends on what variation or variety I possess. It also depends on what extra I can accumulate in terms of action, revolutions and a little bit of subtlety in my speed variations.
“The recent upgrade was the leg spin that I bowled. I have been trying that for the last two-three years. I have successfully done it on a couple of occasions but still trying to master it,” Ashwin said.
During the last T20 against Sri Lanka, Ashwin produced a bowling spell of 4 for 8 in four overs, the best ever by an Indian in T20 cricket. He even broke his own record of 4-11 against Australia in the 2014 World T20 in Dhaka.
A lot of question pelted at him, a fan asked about the strategy he adopts to different batsmen before bowling to them.
“I get a lot of kick out of planning my wickets and strategising my particular dismissal. When a batsman is taking me on, the plan is very simple. I try and make sure what is a difficult shot for him to play and try and shut him down. The best option for me in limited overs format is to try and take the batsman away from his comfort zone and make him play a shot that is erroneous,” he added.
According to Ashwin, a player must learn how to adjust to conditions and weather which is the most challenging thing for cricketers.“The conditions are always going to be a challenge to adapt to because you play most of your cricket in certain parts of the world. Then when you embark on your journey, how much can you draw from your experience, you know what needs to be the process, but as much as the process in important, you need to have that particular time in that country, get into a certain rhythm, speed and the kind of revolutions you need to put on the ball,” Ashwin said, adding that he enjoys bowling to Australian all-rounder Glenn Maxwell.
“The conditions are always going to be a challenge to adapt to because you play most of your cricket in certain parts of the world. Then when you embark on your journey, how much can you draw from your experience, you know what needs to be the process, but as much as the process in important, you need to have that particular time in that country, get into a certain rhythm, speed and the kind of revolutions you need to put on the ball,” Ashwin said, adding that he enjoys bowling to Australian all-rounder Glenn Maxwell.
Ashwin also revealed that he enjoys bowling Cheteshwar Pujara of India. “One batsman who I really enjoy bowling to in the nets is Cheteshwar Pujara. He generally treats it in the same way like he does in the game. Many of the others try and improve what they want to improve but Pujara puts net practice to maximum use,” Ashwin said.
India’s premier spinner also shared the most craziest and naughtiest episode in his life.
“I’ve done a lot of naughty things, a lot of crazy things. Once along with my friends, we were going by car to a café in Chennai. My friend accidentally cut across and hit a motorbike. We were sitting inside and as soon as he hit the bike, the bike guy started abusing him. So my friend got scared and started driving past him. So I told my friend it was very, very unethical and it was very, very rude of him to do that.
“So he ended up saying let’s ask for pardon. So he stopped the car and as soon as we brought the windows down, I and my friend started laughing out and immediately the bike guy started chasing us all the way and we had to really drive fast and get away. Just a prank in the busy schedule, that’s the most craziest thing I’ve done,” Ashwin concluded.
Ashwin is the only bowler to have been named in the top 10 of the ICC bowling ranking across all three formats of the sport, will next be on the pitch when India take on Bangladesh in the Asia Cup on February 24.
Ashwin, who is the only bowler to have been named in the top 10 world rankings across all three formats of the sport, will next be on the pitch when India take on Bangladesh in the Asia Cup on February 24.
Watch the full live interaction of Ravichandran Ashwin with fans
#TeamIndia bowler Ashwin Ravi interacted with his fans LIVE from Visakhapatnam.
Posted by Indian Cricket Team on Saturday, February 13, 2016